electric Train

Lionel Train Set 626 B&O Switcher Offered With Six Genuine Postwar Cars Tested

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Historic Tested Lionel 626 B&O Switcher Set Offered With Six Genuine Postwar Cars. A really Great set ready to run. All pieces are in excellent condition and well-maintained. Switcher tested and runs as designed, and the light works. The Lionel 6660 Boom Car works as designed, with all functions tested. Operating strings are all in place. The only issue to mention is several minor paint nicks on one of the 626 yellow railings. Included in this offering are the following items, all Lionel:

  • Model: Lionel 626 B&O Switcher Diesel Locomotive (Postwar, 1956)
  • Freight Car 1: 6660 Boom Crane Car – 1958
  • Freight Car 2: 6801 Flatcar with Blue Boat – 1957 – 1960
  • Freight Car 3: 6405 Flatcar with Piggyback Van – 1960
  • Freight Car 4: 6519 Allis-Chalmers Condenser Car – 1958 – 1961
  • Freight Car 5: 6445 Fort Knox Gold Reserve Box Car – 1961 – 1963
  • Freight Car 6: 6428 United States Mail Box Car – 1960 -1961

Some details on the Lionel 626 B&O 44 Ton Switcher:

Key Features & Specifications

  • Body: Unpainted blue shell (rather than a complete paint job) with yellow lettering/graphics for the
  • B&O.Frame & chassis: Yellow sheet-metal base, die-cast trucks, metal wheels.
  • Motorization: Uses a Type IID motor, one-axle Magne-Traction, three-position directional unit under the chassis.
  • Couplers: Operating couplers on both ends.
  • Headlight: Has a headlight lens at both ends, though only one end is lighted.
  • Size: Approx 12½″ long from coupler to coupler.
  • Gauge: Primarily O-27 (and compatible with larger O gauge radius).

This set, plus other Model Trains are available at our eBay Store Connectibles.

1958 Original Postwar Athearn Lionel HO 5711 Virginian Rectifier Set

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We recently sold this lovely Lionel Train Set. Here is some fascinating history of how Lionel got into the HO Business for a while. These are now rare and very collectible.

Lionel in the 1950s
During the 1950s, the Lionel Corporation stood as the dominant name in American model railroading. Its O and O27 gauge trains symbolized the postwar era’s fascination with technology and motion, appearing in department store displays and under countless Christmas trees. By the latter part of the decade, as the HO scale gained popularity for its compact size and increasing realism, Lionel sought entry into this growing market. Rather than invest immediately in new tooling, Lionel contracted with established HO manufacturers to produce trains bearing the Lionel name. This effort marked a brief but noteworthy diversification in Lionel’s production history, reflecting both market adaptation and experimentation.

Lionel No. 5711 “Virginian” HO Freight Set (1958)
The Lionel No. 5711 “Virginian” HO Freight Set was introduced in 1958 and represents one of the earliest HO offerings produced for Lionel by Athearn of Compton, California. The set included a Virginian diesel switcher finished in yellow and blue, accompanied by a consist of Athearn freight cars and a matching caboose. Components were manufactured by Athearn, while Lionel supplied packaging, marketing, and distribution through its dealer network. Production was limited to a short period, as Lionel soon moved HO manufacturing to other contractors. Surviving examples of the 5711 set are of particular interest to collectors, as they illustrate Lionel’s brief collaboration with Athearn and its attempt to establish a presence in the competitive HO scale market of the late 1950s. Other Electric Trains are available in our eBay Store Connectibles